TOUR 9G + 9H – Around the Volcano

Volcanos, Valleys and Hot Springs

This tour is ideal if you would like to stay at our farm and spend three days on horseback exploring the fascinating volcanic mountains nearby. The tour takes you over moss-covered lava fields created by the volcano Hengill and into an unique area of exceptional beauty with volcanic formations, green valleys and hot springs. We visit the hidden Valley of the Horses, Maradalur, ride along the Jórukleif range of mountains and continue through picturesque landscape along the largest lake in Iceland, Thingvallavatn. The lake is located at the national park and historical site of Thingvellir in a valley created by the movements of the Eurasian and American continental plates. We pass by craters and ponds in mystic landscpae, enjoy beautiful views and follow the path leading down to Reykjadalur Valley with its hot springs. Before we continue on the mountain trail back to Hveragerði we have the opportunity to relax in the valley’s warm, geothermal river. Bring your swimsuit and towel.

Please note that all three riding days include a few stretches requiring participants to walk and lead their horse!

Beautiful landscape, very friendly and sweet horses. Riding and horses are excellent, and also enjoyed the food and landscaped. The important stuff – the riding, food and accommodation was all very good and we are planning to return

What to bring

Good shoes, comfortable pants (riding pants not necessary), gloves and a buff is recommended and if you want to bring a camera, please bring a small waist bag as backpacks cannot be taken on horseback.

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Price

9h Hotel accommodation: 1075 EUR

9g Guesthouse accommodations: 935 EUR

DAY BY DAY

Day 1: Arrival

The tour starts in the evening. Tour members who arrive the same day to Iceland should take the fligh bus from the airport to the final bus station BSÍ in Reykjavík. We will greet you at BSI or at your hotel/ guesthouse in Reykjavik between 17:30- 18:00 and drive you to our farm Vellir in Hveragerði. There you will be lodged in our new Guesthouse Eldhestar (Tour 9G) or Hotel Eldhestar (Tour 9H). We will get to know each other during the dinner at our Hotel Eldhestar. The day will end with a detailed description of the tour (might be next morning).

Day 2: Vellir – Kolvidarhóll

We start the day by getting to know the horses in the paddock. After an early lunch, we follow the old route from Hveragerdi to Hellisheidi. After reaching the moor, we continue to the Hengill volcano along the Kristnitökuhraun lava field. This lava came from the eruption of Hengill in the year 1000, the same year Iceland officially became Christian. The old folktales say that the eruption was the revenge of the old gods Thór, Ódinn and Freyr. We continue on the track between lava and hills (“millihraunsoghlidar”), down to Kolvidarhóll, where people have stopped to rest for hundreds of years. We spend the night at the farm Vellir.

Riding time and distance: 21 km and 4 hrs.

Day 3: Kolvidarhóll – Nesjavellir

We continue North below the Húsmúli and Hengill mountains. We dismount and lead the horses through a narrow cleft to Marardalur (Valley of Horses). We ride through Dyrfjöll (Door-Mountains), and when we reach the mountaintop we have a view over Lake Thingvallavatn. The lake is by the cleft where Icelanders had their democratic meetings called Althing for hundreds of years. The track continues to Nesjavellir, where the tour ends. We leave the horses at the farm Villingavatn, but drive the participants to Vellir for overnight.Riding time and distance: 30 km, 6-7 hrs.

Day 4: Reykjadalur- Vellir

We first ride along the slopes of Reykjafjall mountain and continue on nice riding trails surrounding the small village Hveragerði. The path then takes us through a green forest to a colorful geothermal valley with hot springs, an area which expanded dramatically during an earthquake in 2008. On our way towards the green hills surrounding the volcano Hengill we have good opportunity to try the “tölt”, the special gait of the Icelandic horse. The horses then take us on a leisurely pace following narrow trails up into the valley Reykjadalur. We pass the beautiful waterfall Djúpagilsfoss and some hot springs before we reach Reykjadalur valley and will have the opportunity to take a relaxing bath in a warm stream. During the ride down the valley we enjoy fascinating panoramas over the surroundings, the village Hveragerði, picturesque farmland and all the way down to the coastline, where we might see the Westman Islands, weather permitting. We continue along the mountain slopes again back to our farm Vellir where the tour ends. After some refreshments, the bus takes us back to Reykjavík at about 16:30.Riding time and distance:23,3 km, 5 -6 hrs.

CANCELLATION POLICY

All rates are according to our price list in EUROS.

CANCELLATION

All cancellations must be written and confirmed by our office. We accept cancellations per e-mail.

CANCELLATION CHARGES

In case of cancellation 21 or more days prior to tour departure cancellation fee is 20% of the tour price.

In case of cancellation 20-14 days prior to tour departure cancellation fee is 50% of the tour price.

In case of cancellation later than 13 days but before 48 hours prior to tour departure cancellation fee is 75% of the tour price.

In case of cancellation later than 48 hours prior to tour departure or no show, cancellation fee is 100% of the tour price.

In case you need to cancel your tour due to unexpected events, any paid amount for unused services can be used for another tour or transferred to another person.

INSURANCE: Individual travel insurance is not included in the tour prices. We strongly recommend that you purchase a travel insurance policy in your home country that covers your cost should you have to cancel your travel reservation with short notice. These kind of travel insurances are not expensive and frequently cover other risks.

OTHER

All complaints must reach Eldhestar within 5 days from departure from Iceland. Otherwise possible compensation is not valid.

Note: Eldhestar reserve the right to alter tours and itineraries due to weather or road conditions. All programs can be changed or cancelled at any moment during the trip to assure the safety of the clients and staff of Eldhestar and other business partners in case of combo tours. No responsibility is accepted for losses, expenses due to delays, changes of flights, or other services or because of strikes, accidents, sickness, damage, negligence, weather, war, changes in schedules, or other similar causes. Eldhestar and other partners in case of combo tours do not assume responsibility for accidents or death that can be traced to the participant´s negligence, acts of third parties or exterior circumstances such as weather, natural occurrences, war or other similar causes.

NOTICE: THE SMALL PRINT

Included in the price: Meals and services as described in the itinerary and 11% VAT.

Children´s discount for children 14 years and younger is 20%.

Single supplement for tours with hotel accommodation is 55 EUR per room / per night.

Upgrade from the guesthouse to hotel accommodation is 60 EUR per person / per night based on the double room.

Prices for tours with hotel accommodation are based on a shared double room.Prices for tours with guesthouse accommodation are based on accommodation in 2-4 bedrooms.

Note: The last night in Reykjavík will not be included in our Shorter Tours, Longer Tours and Wilderness Tours in summer 2019.

GALLERY

BOOK NOW

Please fill out the below form to book this tour. Note: Your tour booking has not been confirmed until you receive an email from Eldhestar that confirms your booking. If you do not receive a confirmation email from Eldhestar, please contact us immediately: info@eldhestar.is

ExperienceExperienceBEGINNER: A rider with little or no experience.NOVICE: A rider who is comfortable and in control at the walk and/or trot but has limited experience trotting and/or cantering.INTERMEDIATE: A rider who is confident and in control in all gaits, but does not ride regularly.STRONG INTERMEDIATE: An intermediate rider who is currently riding regularly and is comfortable in the saddle for at least 6 hours per day.ADVANCED: All of the above plus the ability to handle a spirited horse in open country.